Adapted from two online sources. Be sure to hit the BACK button to return to this page!
Human population growth
http://desip.igc.org/mapanim.html
Watch the animation then answer the following questions:
1) Where in the world did the human population appear to start?
2) What was the world population in 1985?
3) What is the expected world population in 2020?
https://sites.google.com/site/humanpopulationgrowthwebquest/home/human-population-group-a
4) Describe the factors that affect population growth.
5) What is the formula for human population change?
http://www.learner.org/courses/envsci/unit/text.php?unit=5&secNum=5
6) What are the three major, interconnected elements to human societies’ impact on the environment?
7) What are the two major forms of impact on the environment?
8) What are some countries doing to try to reduce the rate of population growth?
Deforestation
http://kids.mongabay.com/lesson_plans/lisa_algee/deforestation.html
9) What is deforestation?
10) List the causes of deforestation.
11) Outline the global statistics on deforestation.
12) What are the environmental consequences associated with deforestation?
13) What are the social impacts of deforestation?
14) List 5 ways you can help reduce deforestation.
Strip Mining
http://www.greatmining.com/strip-mining.html
15) What is strip mining?
16) What are the steps of strip mining?
17) How is strip mining harmful to the environment?
18) What does it mean to reclaim the strip mined land?
Ecological footprint
http://www.footprintnetwork.org/en/index.php/GFN/page/footprint_basics_overview/
19) What is an ecological footprint?
20) What factors go into calculating an ecological footprint?
http://www.earthday.net/footprint/index.html
21) Measure your footprint. What are your thoughts on the result?
Ecology in a sustainable future
http://www.childrensuniversity.manchester.ac.uk/interactives/science/energy/renewable/
Answer the questions while clicking through the animation
22) What is a nonrenewable resource?
23) What is a renewable resource?
24) Why is the sun renewable but oil is nonrenewable?
25) How is fresh water both a renewable and a limited resource?
http://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/index.cfm?page=renewable_home
26) Summarize the 5 types of renewable energy listed on the main page.
27) What are the three energy sources most frequently consumed by the US?
28) Why don’t we use more renewable energy?
29) What is sustainable development?
30) Choose one of the links (you can click “more” for other options), read the entry and summarize in 3 or more sentences: